


14/03/23: maybe it's goodbye

by excelsi_or



Series: to a boy i love right now [35]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24649474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/excelsi_or/pseuds/excelsi_or
Summary: Jihoon heads off to LA and then is MIA for a year. Maybe it's time for goodbye.
Relationships: Lee Jihoon | Woozi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: to a boy i love right now [35]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1252010
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	14/03/23: maybe it's goodbye

_March 14, 2023_

“I’ll call you,” Jihoon promises.

She nods, her eyes closing as he presses a kiss to her forehead. The boys had all said their goodbyes the night before, so it’s just Hansol and Seungkwan with her at the airport. They said their goodbyes and went to get a Starbucks for the ride home. “Call me when you get there.”

“It’ll be late.”

“I know, but I want to make sure you get there safe.”

Jihoon hums. They stand before the entrance to security, arms wrapped around each other, swaying side to side. His chin rests on her head; her cheek is pressed to his chest. As time passes, her arms tighten around his waist, suddenly not wanting him to go. When they’d first discussed this a month ago, the idea of Jihoon leaving hadn’t been heart wrenching. Now that he’s about to jet off for God knows how long, she wants to tell him not to go.

The first boarding call for his flight is called.

“I should really go before I miss my flight,” he mumbles into her hair.

She pulls away from him and cups his cheeks in her hands. Her eyes soak in his features, burning his face into her mind so she won’t forget any of it. Jihoon dips his head to kiss her, his grip tightening to pull her flush against him. Her hands guide him closer, so that their lips fit better. When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against hers.

“I’ll come home soon.”

“You better.”

**_1 year later_ **

She can’t remember when the phone calls stopped. Somehow, in the time he’s been away, Jihoon has gotten _busier_. According to him, other people heard his stuff and it was just a never-ending list of collaborations. His company continued to extend his stay in LA, and the exposure for him and the company was too good to pass up.

Or bring him home.

Mingyu is sat on her couch. He hasn’t been over in a while since Jihoon hasn’t been home. But she missed Mingyu and she misses the life that Jihoon had brought to her when they met.

Mingyu watches her carefully now as she sketches him while they play a movie in the background. He had been catching her up on everything that Wonwoo was up to and what Soonyoung was doing as a choreographer. But he’s running out of information to dole out and he isn’t sure if she’s listening anyway.

Hansol had forewarned him when they’d met up at lunch that she was still sensitive about the Jihoon topic.

“Maybe don’t mention him? All I know is that he hasn’t called in a while and he says he’s busy when she does.”

“You know that hyung’s bad with communication,” Mingyu had said.

Hansol had nodded. “It’s been _longer_ than the last time this happened. I don’t know if hyung can just waltz back in and have everything be okay.”

And Mingyu now understands what Hansol meant. When he walked into the apartment, without Jihoon around, it suddenly became apparent to him that Jihoon lived here too. There were things from their old apartment. There was a desk with all of Jihoon’s sound equipment from school. There were pictures of him around the apartment, but Jihoon’s cologne wasn’t in the air. Jihoon’s cologne wasn’t strong, but it was distinct enough that Mingyu knew where he’d been. And it was clear that Jihoon hadn’t been home in a while.

“Are you okay, noona?”

Her head snaps up. She sees the concerned expression on Mingyu’s face. Sighing, she hugs her sketchbook to her chest. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You miss him?” Mingyu asks softly.

She rubs the back of her head. “That obvious, huh?”

Mingyu shrugs.

“Yeah. I’m… gonna call him tonight when he gets up.” Mingyu catches her muttering, “If he has time to talk to me.”

“He misses you too, noona. I’m sure of it.”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “Yeah.”

Mingyu leaves after a second movie, insisting that they watch a comedy to make her feel better. He hugs her tight and she watches him walk down the hallway and disappear into the elevator. With a deep breath, she sits back down on the couch. Cross-legged on the couch, she picks up her phone to call Jihoon. The time difference means that it’s about 7 AM in LA.

She’d actually texted Jihoon last night telling him that she really needed to talk to him. Hopefully, he answers.

After staring at his name for what feels like hours, she finally presses it. She puts him on speaker and rests the phone her thigh.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

“Come on, Jihoon,” she mumbles through the fourth ring.

“Hello?” His voice fills the room.

Her breath catches in her throat and her hands start to shake when she hears his voice.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jihoon.”

Jihoon is quiet on his end for a while. She nibbles on her bottom lip and she lets out a shaky breath.

“You said… you said you needed to talk,” he says quietly.

“I… think you know…” her voice quiets further, “you know what I’m going to say, Jihoon.”

Jihoon exhales loudly on the other end.

“You don’t have to say anything,” she murmurs. “It’s better this way. For both of us.”

“I…” Jihoon clamps up.

“Then there’re no expectations for either of us,” she continues.

Her words hang heavy in the space between them.

“I love you,” Jihoon tells her.

“I love you too, Jihoonie.” She waits three beats. “Have a good day, Jihoonie. I’m going to bed.” She stands, collecting her sketchbook off the couch and heading to the bedroom. She’s moved Jihoon’s things off his side table into the drawers, so she doesn’t have to look at them anymore. The clothes he left behind, she started putting into boxes last month and has pushed them into the corner of the closet.

“Goodnight,” he whispers.


End file.
